Medical imaging apparatus, information processing method, and computer-readable storage medium

ABSTRACT

A medical imaging apparatus includes a transmission suspension time determination unit that determines a transmission suspension time from when an inspection is ended to when inspection end information generated by an inspection end information generation unit is transmitted to a hospital information system based on inspection information; an inspection end information transmission unit transmits the generated inspection end information to the hospital information system after the transmission suspension time has passed after the inspection is ended; and an additional imaging-operation instruction determination unit determines whether an additional imaging-operation instruction is issued from an operator before the transmission suspension time passes. If it is determined that the additional imaging-operation instruction is issued, inspection end information including a content of the imaging operation additionally executed according to the additional imaging operation instruction is executed, and the inspection end information including the content of the additional imaging-operation is transmitted.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/764,003 filed Apr. 20, 2010, which claims priority benefit ofJapanese Patent Application No. 2009-106730 filed Apr. 24, 2009. Thedisclosures of the above-named applications are hereby incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a medical imaging apparatus, aninformation processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medical imaging apparatuses for acquiring a medical image through whicha medical doctor checks or diagnoses the medical condition of a patientare known. A medical imaging apparatus can include one or a combinationof various types of apparatus such as an X-ray imaging apparatus and anX-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus using radiation, a magneticresonance imaging (MRI) apparatus typified by an MRI, and a nuclearmedicine imaging apparatus and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus typifiedby positron emission computerized-tomography (PET) and single photonemission computed tomography (SPECT). The medical images acquired bythese medical imaging apparatuses may include various types of imagessuch as a morphological image and one in which a functional value isimaged like a blood flow rate in the brain, for example. A medicaldoctor determines a required image according to the medical condition ofa patient and carries out a diagnosis based on the image acquired byusing a medical imaging apparatus accompanied by the determination ofthe doctor.

In recent years, medical imaging apparatuses can transfer informationwithin an intra-hospital information system via a network to smoothlyand accurately conduct an inspection using these medical imagingapparatuses. The intra-hospital information system includes a hospitalinformation system (HIS) for managing information such as patient'sinformation including patient name and patient ID, for example, andinspection request information including inspection date and imagedcontents. In particular, the intra-hospital information system includesa radiology information system (RIS) for managing information such aspatient's information and inspection request information in thedepartment of radiology. To complement the intra-hospital informationsystem, there exists an image storage and display apparatus whereby anacquired medical image is stored and displayed to be used for diagnosis.Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) and Health LevelSeven (HL7) are stipulated as standards for transmitting informationbetween the intra-hospital information system and a medical imagingapparatus via a network.

The Integrated Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative promotesintegration of healthcare information resources to improve clinicalcare. In IHE, guidelines for promoting integration of the multi-vendorsof the intra-hospital information systems have been proposed by unifyingthe method of using the DICOM and HL7 standards.

The outline of communication between the medical imaging apparatus andHIS/RIS during an inspection request (the issuance of an order) isdescribed with reference to FIG. 22. FIG. 22 illustrates an example of asequence diagram for transmitting inspection request information betweenthe medical imaging apparatus and HIS/RIS.

As illustrated in FIG. 22, a medical imaging apparatus 100 requestsinspection request information to a HIS/RIS 110 according to aninstruction to acquire the inspection request information from anoperator 120 using a search condition and acquires the inspectionrequest information complying with the search condition. The medicalimaging apparatus 100 analyzes the acquired inspection requestinformation. The medical imaging apparatus 100 sends an inspection startnotification according to an instruction to start inspection in whichthe operator 120 selects an inspection to be conducted from the acquiredinspection request information. Then, the medical imaging apparatus 100irradiates an object with X rays, for example, according to aninstruction to execute the imaging operation from the operator 120 toacquire a medical image data. This process is repeated as required. Themedical imaging apparatus 100 generates an inspection end notificationaccording to an instruction to end the inspection from the operator 120and notifies the HIS/RIS 110 of the end of the inspection.

In the execution of inspection in the case where a communication is madeusing the HIS/RIS 110, the medical imaging apparatus 100 notifies theHIS/RIS 110 of the start and end of inspection when the inspection isstarted or ended (including interruption). Thus, the HIS/RIS 110 candetect a state of execution of the medical imaging apparatus 100 in eachinspection to be requested. The timing at which the medical imagingapparatus 100 notifies the HIS/RIS 110 of the start and end ofinspection is determined by the operator 120 pressing inspection startor inspection end buttons, respectively, via a graphical user interface(GUI) on the medical imaging apparatus 100. Alternatively, for thenotification of the end of inspection, the medical imaging apparatus 100notifies the HIS/RIS 110 of the end of the previously conductedinspection at the timing at which the next inspection is started. Thisallows smoothly conducting various processes in the intra-hospitalinformation system.

The information about the end of inspection of which the medical imagingapparatus 100 notifies the HIS/RIS 110 includes information about thenumber of captured images used for accounting for inspection. Forexample, if the operator 120 inadvertently leaves the medical imagingapparatus 100 as it is without issuing the instruction to end theinspection thereto, the medical imaging apparatus 100 does not notifythe HIS/RIS 110 of the end of inspection. This causes a problem with theworkflow such as incorrect or inaccurate accounting after theinspection. As remedies for solving such problems caused by theoperator's failure in issuing the “end of inspection” instruction, thereis discussed a technique in which ending conditions for ending theinspection are stored in advance into a medical imaging apparatus (referto Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-215685, for example).Such a medical imaging apparatus automatically ends the inspection to beconducted at the timing at which the ending conditions are satisfied andnotifies the HIS/RIS 110 of the end of inspection.

The medical imaging apparatus is capable of communicating with an imagestorage and display apparatus aside from the HIS/RIS as a imaging flowvia a network. The image captured by the medical imaging apparatus istransferred to and stored in the image storage and display apparatus asa dedicated image storage server because the capacity of the medicalimaging apparatus alone is insufficient to store the image. Typically,the medical imaging apparatus requests the image storage and displayapparatus to store the image data by itself, and the image storage anddisplay apparatus responds at the time when the image storage anddisplay apparatus stores the image data. Such a process can ensure thatthe image data is properly stored in the image storage and displayapparatus. The DICOM protocol stipulates the request for storage as“storage commitment.” The medical imaging apparatus may discard thestored image data by receiving the response from the image storage anddisplay apparatus. Since the image storage and display apparatusincludes a monitor whose definition is higher than that of a monitor ofthe medical imaging apparatus, the operator can examine an image with ahigher definition by displaying the image data using an image viewer.The timing at which the medical imaging apparatus requests the imagestorage and display apparatus to store the image data is determined bythe operator pressing inspection start or end buttons via the GUI on themedical imaging apparatus as is the case with the aforementionednotification of the end of inspection.

In the execution of inspection in the case where a communication is madeusing the above HIS/RIS, it is impossible to add a new inspectionrequest to the inspection in which the medical imaging apparatus hasonce notified the HIS/RIS of the end of the inspection. FIG. 23illustrates, as described below, that during communication between themedical imaging apparatus and the HIS/RIS, it is impossible to add a new(additional) inspection request.

As indicated in step S10 in FIG. 23, even if the medical imagingapparatus 100 generates an inspection end notification according to theinstruction to end the inspection from the operator 120, it is possibleto instruct the medical imaging apparatus 100 to add an additionalimaging inspection unless the medical imaging apparatus 100 has notifiedthe HIS/RIS 110 of the end of inspection. On the other hand, asindicated in step S20, if additional imaging inspection needs to beadded after the medical imaging apparatus 100 has notified the HIS/RIS110 of the end of inspection, it is impossible to instruct the medicalimaging apparatus 100 to add the additional imaging inspection. For thisreason, if inspection is conducted again, inspection request informationneeds to be generated again and an inspection request informationnotification needs to be received. In this case, however, the inspectionneeds to be repeated twice. Repetition on inspection represents aproblem in that it increases patient burden.

For the medical imaging apparatus conforming to the DICOM standards,there is a method in which an Unscheduled Procedure Step P prepared foran unidentified patient urgently carried to hospital is used to conductan additional inspection and integrate inspection informationthereafter. In this case, it is essential for the medical imagingapparatus to conform to the DICOM standard, and integrating inspectioninformation after inspection is performed may represent a problem inthat a risk of inconsistency of data is increased.

On the other hand, as stated above, information about the number ofcaptured images included in the end of inspection notification is usedfor accounting after inspection. Therefore, in the inspection taking ashort time from the end of inspection to accounting such as theinspection for an outpatient, for example, it is required to transmit anend of inspection notification as quickly as possible after theinspection ends. For a group medical examination, for example, it is notrequired to transmit an end of inspection notification quickly because aplurality of patients takes a medical examination and accounting iscollectively performed later in most cases. In other words, the timingat which the transmission of the end of inspection notification isrequired is different according to the type of inspection in a clinicalsite.

Complicatedness in inspection is greatly changed with contents to beimaged. The complicatedness in inspection is the greatest factoraffecting the operator's mistake and misjudgment. If such a factor issolved by the conventional method of sending the end of inspectionnotification at the timing an inspection end button is pressed or thenext inspection is started, a problem is caused in that the end ofinspection end notification is not sent when accounting is requested ornotification about the end of inspection desired to be added has beensent. Furthermore, since the end of inspection notification is sent atthe same timing regardless of the complicatedness in inspection in allinspections, there is another problem that a follow-up to the operatoris not realized on a complicated inspection high in necessity for theaddition of inspection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a medical imagingapparatus capable of communicating with a hospital information systemincludes an image data acquisition unit configured to execute an imagingoperation to acquire image data based on inspection information, aninspection end information generation unit configured to generateinspection end information indicating a content of the imaging operationexecuted when the image data is acquired by the image data acquisitionunit, a transmission suspension time determination unit configured todetermine a transmission suspension time from when the inspection isended to when the inspection end information generated by the inspectionend information generation unit is transmitted to the hospitalinformation system based on inspection information, an inspection endinformation transmission unit configured to transmit the inspection endinformation generated by the inspection end information generation unitto the hospital information system after the transmission suspensiontime determined by the transmission suspension time determination unithas passed after the inspection is ended, and an additionalimaging-operation instruction determination unit configured to determinewhether an additional imaging operation instruction is issued before thetransmission suspension time determined by the transmission suspensiontime determination unit passes, wherein if the additionalimaging-operation instruction determination unit determines that theadditional imaging operation instruction is issued, the inspection endinformation generation unit generates inspection end informationincluding a content of the imaging operation additionally executedaccording to the additional imaging operation instruction, and theinspection end information transmission unit transmits the inspectionend information including the content of the additional imagingoperation.

Further features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an intra-hospitalinformation system capable of communicating with a medical imagingapparatus via a network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of hardwareconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functionalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus according to the firstexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the firstexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example of operation processingfor determining a transmission suspension time.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a correspondence table between an indexscore total value and the transmission suspension time.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a display screen for a past inspectionlist.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of operation processingin issuing an instruction to execute an additional imaging operation.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the initial state of anindex score setting screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for setting theaddition, deletion, and availability of items used as an index insetting an index score.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a score and weightingcoefficient setting screen for setting a score and a weightingcoefficient.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internalconfiguration of a medical imaging apparatus according to a secondexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the secondexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internalconfiguration of a medical imaging apparatus according to a thirdexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the thirdexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internalconfiguration of a medical imaging apparatus according to a fourthexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the fourthexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internalconfiguration of a medical imaging apparatus according to a fifthexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the fifthexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internalconfiguration of a medical imaging apparatus according to a sixthexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing of the medical imaging apparatus according to the sixthexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 22 illustrates a sequence diagram for a medical imaging apparatusand HIS/RIS.

FIG. 23 illustrates a sequence diagram for a medical imaging apparatusand HIS/RIS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an intra-hospitalinformation system capable of communicating with the medical imagingapparatus via a network. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the medical imagingapparatuses 303, 304, and 305 are connected to a HIS 301, a RIS 302, andan image storage and display apparatus 306 as the intra-hospitalinformation system, via one or various networks, such as local areanetwork (LAN) or the like.

Patient information, inspection request information, inspectionexecution information, inspection end information, image data, and imagestorage request are transferred using the network. The medical imagingapparatuses 303, 304, and 305 may be of one or plural types. The numberof medical imaging apparatuses to be connected is not limited to threeapparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 but may be one or more. In the followingdescription, the medical imaging apparatus 303 is described.

The medical imaging apparatus 303 may be any one or a combination of anX-ray imaging apparatus, an X-ray CT apparatus, a magnetic resonanceimaging apparatus typified by an MRI, and a nuclear medicine imagingapparatus and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus typified by PET and SPECT,or may include any imaging apparatus for a medical purpose. In thedescription of the present exemplary embodiment and the other exemplaryembodiments described below, the X-ray imaging apparatus is used as anexample of the medical imaging apparatus. For the sake of simplicity, inFIG. 1, although a single HIS 301, RIS 302, and image storage anddisplay apparatus 306 are connected to the medical imaging apparatus303, the number of these apparatuses is not limited to this case. Forexample, a plurality of HISS 301, RISs 302, and image storage anddisplay apparatus 306 may be connected to the single medical imagingapparatus 303.

Patient information, inspection request information, inspectionexecution information, and inspection end information used in thepresent exemplary embodiment are described below. In the presentexemplary embodiment, four types of the information can be collectivelyreferred to as inspection information.

The patient information refers to individual information of a patientbeing a subject inspected by the medical imaging apparatus 303. Thepatient information includes a patient ID that is a unique ID foridentifying a subject, a patient name, sex, date of birth, and age. Thepatient information is input and stored mainly by the HIS 301. The RIS302 and the medical imaging apparatus 303 can also input and store thepatient information. The patient information is stored in an informationstorage apparatus such as a server connected to a network to allowsharing patient information input by each apparatus with the consistencyof the patient information ensured.

The inspection request information refers to a specific inspectionexecution request in which when an inspection conducted by the medicalimaging apparatus 303 is performed using which medical imaging apparatusby who and what kind of image is taken. The inspection requestinformation mainly includes information about an inspection ID thatuniquely identifies an inspection, inspection execution schedule date,inspection execution schedule apparatus, and specific imaging techniquesexecuted at the inspection. There is also included the name of anengineer (hereinafter referred to as an operator) who conductsinspection, names of a department and a doctor who request theinspection and the above patient information. If the HIS 301, the RIS302, and the medical imaging apparatus 303 conform to the DICOMstandards, the inspection request information includes tag informationstipulated by MODALITY WORK LIST SOP class (hereinafter referred to asMWL) of the DICOM standards. The inspection request information is inputand stored mainly by the HIS 301. The RIS 302 and the medical imagingapparatus 303 can also input and store the inspection requestinformation. In this case, the HIS 301 is notified of the inspectionrequest information at any timing. The inspection request information isstored an information storage apparatus such as a server connected tothe network to allow sharing the inspection request information betweenthe apparatus.

The inspection execution information refers to information as to aspecific imaging operation executed at the ended inspection. Theinspection execution information includes information about executedimaging techniques, the number of captured images, time required forexecution the inspection, the presence or absence of addition of imagingduring the inspection, the name of an operator execution the inspection,the total amount of radiation dose to which a patient is exposed duringthe inspection. The executed imaging techniques include informationabout the name of imaging techniques, an imaged region (including leftand right), imaging direction and attitude of a patient in each imagingtechnique, still imaging in each imaging technique, and imaging methodsof moving image and angiography. The inspection execution information isgenerated and used only by the medical imaging apparatus 303.

The inspection end information refers to information indicating actuallyexecuted contents in the inspection request information which theoperator selects by the medical imaging apparatus 303. The inspectionend information mainly includes information about an inspection ID thatuniquely identifies the inspection, inspection execution date, a medicalimaging apparatus whereby the inspection is conducted, and the name ofan operator conducting the inspection. The inspection end informationalso includes the above patient information and inspection executioninformation. If the HIS 301, the RIS 302, and the medical imagingapparatus 303 conform to the DICOM standards, the inspection endinformation includes tag information stipulated by Modality PerformedProcedure Step Stop class (PPS) of the DICOM standards. The inspectionend information is generated when the medical imaging apparatus 303 endsthe inspection. Thereafter, the medical imaging apparatus 303 transmitsthe inspection end information to the RIS 302 at the timing set for eachinspection. After that, the RIS 302 transmits the inspection endinformation to the HIS 301. The inspection end information is used inthe work flow such as accounting after the inspection.

Each apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is described below.

The HIS 301 transfers information with the RIS 203 via the network. TheHIS 301 being one of the intra-hospital information systems, registersthe patient information, generates the inspection request informationand transmits the generated patient information and inspection requestinformation to the RIS 302. The HIS 301 receives an inspection startnotification and an inspection end notification from the medical imagingapparatus 303 via the RIS 302. On receipt of the inspection endnotification, the HIS 301 performs hospital information processing usinginspection end information attached to the inspection end notification.

The RIS 301 being one of the intra-hospital information systemsconcerning the department of radiology in a hospital is connected to theHIS 301 and the medical imaging apparatus 303 via the network. The RIS302 receives the inspection request information from the HIS 301 andtransmits the received inspection request information to the medicalimaging apparatus 303. The RIS 302 receives the inspection startnotification and the inspection end notification from the medicalimaging apparatus 303 and transmits the received inspection startnotification and inspection end notification to the HIS 301.

The medical imaging apparatus 303 is connected to the RIS 302 and theimage storage and display apparatus 306 via the network. The medicalimaging apparatus 303 receives the inspection request information fromthe RIS 302 and stores the received inspection request informationtherein. When the inspection is executed, the medical imaging apparatus303 displays the received inspection request information on a monitor ofthe medical imaging apparatus 303 using a user interface (GUI) andexecutes the inspection selected by the operator. The medical imagingapparatus 303 transmits the inspection start notification and inspectionend notification to the RIS 302.

The medical imaging apparatus 303 transmits medical image data(hereinafter referred to as image data) acquired by imaging at theinspection to the image storage and display apparatus 306 if required.The medical imaging apparatus 303 transmits an image storage request aswell as the image data to the image storage and display apparatus 306.The image storage request refers to notification information whichrequests the image storage and display apparatus 306 to store the imagedata stored in the medical imaging apparatus 303 at the time of endingthe inspection.

The image storage and display apparatus 306 is an image server whichreceives the image data transmitted from the medical imaging apparatus303 and stores the image data therein. When the image storage anddisplay apparatus 306 receives the image storage request, the imagestorage and display apparatus 306 stores the received image data thereinin a similar manner or stores the received image data in an externalrecording medium as the case may be. When the image storage and displayapparatus 306 ends storage processing, the image storage and displayapparatus 306 transmits response to the medical imaging apparatus 303.The image storage and display apparatus 306 functions as a medical imageviewer for receiving the image data transmitted from the medical imagingapparatus and displaying the image data.

When the medical imaging apparatus 303 receives a response from theimage storage and display apparatus 306, the medical imaging apparatus303 can confirm that the storage of the image data into anotherrecording medium is ended, so that the medical imaging apparatus 303 canfreely manage the image data stored therein.

An example of the hardware configuration of the medical imagingapparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment is describedbelow with reference to FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the medicalimaging apparatus 303 includes an information processing unit 10, adisplay unit 11, an input unit 12, a sensor unit 13, an X-ray generationunit 14. The information processing unit 10 is configured such that aRAM 15, a ROM 16, a LAN/IF 17, a CPU 18, and an internal storage device19 such as a hard disk are connected to one another via a system bus 20.Thus, the information processing unit 10 includes a general computerconfiguration. The display unit 11 includes a general monitor such as aliquid crystal display. The display unit 11 displays the image data anda graphical user interface (GUI) on a screen. The input unit 12 includesan input apparatus such as a mouse, a keyboard, a bar code reader, orthe like. The operator can input various commands and data into theinformation processing unit 10 using the input unit 12. The X-raygeneration unit 14 irradiates a patient with X-rays. The sensor unit 13receives the X-rays transmitted through the patient and generates imagedata.

An example of the functional configuration of the medical imagingapparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment is describedbelow with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of thefunctional configuration of the medical imaging apparatus. Thefunctional configuration of the medical imaging apparatus illustrated inFIG. 3 is implemented by the CPU 18 executing the programs stored in theROM 16 and the internal storage device 19. In FIG. 3, the HIS 301, theRIS 302, and the image storage and display apparatus 306 illustrated inFIG. 1 are consolidated into an intra-hospital information system 300.

A reception unit 401 communicates with the intra-hospital informationsystem 300 and in particular receives the inspection requestinformation.

An imaging execution unit 404 stores the inspection request informationreceived by the reception unit 401, displays the list thereof, andexecutes an imaging operation according to the instruction of theoperator. The imaging execution unit 404 transmits the inspectionrequest information to an inspection management unit 407 along with thestart of the inspection and transmits the inspection executioninformation and the acquired image data to the inspection managementunit 407 along with the end of the inspection.

The inspection management unit 407 controls the GUI displayed on thedisplay unit 11 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 according to theoperation of the operator via the input unit 12. The inspectionmanagement unit 407 manages the state of the inspection on allinspection information stored in the medical imaging apparatus 303 andgenerates the inspection end information attached to the inspection endnotification for the intra-hospital information system 300.

A transmission unit 411 communicates with the intra-hospital informationsystem 300 to transmit the inspection end notification and image data.

A transmission suspension time determination unit 405 receives theinspection request information, patient information, inspectionexecution information, information about the number of additionalimaging operations for operator, and information about the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient to calculate an index score byreferring to an index storage unit 403, determining a transmissionsuspension time for each inspection.

A transmission suspension time counting unit 408 receives an instructionto start counting from the transmission suspension time determinationunit 405 and starts counting. The transmission suspension time countingunit 408 counts a transmission suspension time and then transmits acounting end notification to the inspection management unit 407.

A “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations foruser” 409 counts the number of additional imaging operations for eachoperator using user information stored inside each time the “unit forcounting the number of additional imaging operations for user” 409 isnotified of the additional imaging operation by the inspectionmanagement unit 407.

A “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations forpatient” 410 counts the number of additional imaging operations for eachpatient using patient information stored inside each time the “unit forcounting the number of additional imaging operations for patient” 410 isnotified of the additional imaging operation by the inspectionmanagement unit 407.

The index storage unit 403 stores: each item included in the inspectionrequest information, patient information, inspection executioninformation, information about the number of additional imagingoperations for user, and information about the number of additionalimaging operations for patient; index scores set thereto; and aweighting coefficient for each item. The index storage unit 403 includesthe internal storage device 19 and a program for controlling theinternal storage device 19. In the present exemplary embodiment,although the index storage unit 403 is included in the medical imagingapparatus 303, in another alternative, the index storage unit 403 may bedirectly connected to the medical imaging apparatus 303 from the outsideusing a connection interface such as USB, for example. The index storageunit 403 may be comprised of an information storage server to beconnected to a plurality of the medical imaging apparatus 303 via thenetwork. The plurality of the medical imaging apparatus 303 shares theindex storage unit 403 therebetween via the network to eliminate theneed for setting the index scores in each medical imaging apparatus 303,facilitating the management of index scores, which enables theimprovement of consistency between the index scores.

An index score setting unit 402 determines whether each item stored inthe index storage unit 403 is used as an index score. If each item isused, the index score setting unit 402 changes the score and the valueof weighting coefficient for each item.

An end instruction cancel unit 406 shifts a state where an inspection isended and a transmission is suspended to a state where the inspection isbeing executed again.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference tothe flow chart illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flow chartillustrating an example of the operation processing performed from thetime of reception of the inspection request information to the time oftransmission of the inspection end notification. The processing isimplemented by the CPU 18 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 executingthe program stored in the ROM 16.

In step S701, the transmission unit 411 requests the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 to transmit the inspection request informationvia the network. The request is made when the operator mainly pressesthe acquisition instruction button for the inspection requestinformation displayed on the GUI of the display unit 11 of the medicalimaging apparatus 303. Alternatively, the transmission unit 411 mayautomatically make a request every predetermined time interval or maymake a request at the timing at which the operator issues an instructionto display the inspection request information as a list. The timing isnot limited only to the above.

When the transmission of the inspection request information is required,an acquisition condition can be set to an item included in theinspection request information. In other words, the transmission unit411 requires the intra-hospital information system 300 with at least oneacquisition condition input. In this case, the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 extracts the inspection request information inwhich an inspection is not yet started and which matches with theacquisition condition from the stored inspection request information andtransmits the inspection request information to the medical imagingapparatus 303. If the acquisition condition is not set, theintra-hospital information system 300 transmits all pieces of theinspection request information in which an inspection is not yet startedamong the inspection request information stored at present. Thereception unit 401 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 receives thetransmitted inspection request information. The reception unit 401 thentransmits the acquired inspection request information to the imagingexecution unit 404. The imaging execution unit 404 lists the receivedinspection request information to display the list on the display unit11 with the GUI and stores the inspection request information in theinternal storage device 19.

In step S702, the operator selects the inspection request information tobe executed from the inspection request information displayed as thelist. The imaging execution unit 404 switches the inspection requestinformation selected by the operator to detailed information anddisplays the detailed information.

In step S703, the operator presses the inspection start button displayedby the GUI on the display unit 11.

In step S704, the imaging execution unit 404 starts inspection based onthe inspection request information selected according to the operator'sinstruction to start the inspection. At this point, the imagingexecution unit 404 instructs the transmission unit 411 via theinspection management unit 407 to send the inspection start notificationto the intra-hospital information system 300. The transmission unit 411transmits the inspection start notification to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300. After that, the imaging execution unit 404repetitively executes imaging operations according to the operator'sinstruction to execute the imaging operations to acquire image data.

In step S705, the imaging execution unit 404 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to end the inspection. The operatorpresses the inspection end button displayed by the GUI on the displayunit 11 when the operator ends all the imaging operations and the postprocessing required for the inspection. If the imaging execution unit404 receives the operator's instruction to end the inspection (YES instep S705), the imaging execution unit 404 advances the processing tostep S706. If the imaging execution unit 404 does not receive theoperator's instruction to end the inspection (NO in step S705), theimaging execution unit 404 returns the processing to step S704.

In step S706, the imaging execution unit 404 ends the inspection whichis being executed and generates the inspection execution informationbased on the inspection execution result. Thereafter, the imagingexecution unit 404 transmits the inspection request information, thegenerated inspection execution information, and the acquired image datato the inspection management unit 407. The inspection management unit407 receives the inspection request information, the inspectionexecution information, and the image data and shifts an inspection statefrom the state where the inspection is being executed to the state wherea transmission is suspended. The inspection management unit 407generates the inspection end information which is attached to theinspection end notification to be transmitted to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 using the inspection request information and thepatient information included in the inspection execution information andthe inspection request information.

In step S707, the inspection management unit 407 adds a part of thegenerated inspection end information to a past inspection informationlist displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11 and displays the list.An example of the GUI that displays an inspection being in the statewhere a transmission is suspended on the past inspection informationlist is described below with reference to FIG. 7.

In step S708, the inspection management unit 407 transmits theinspection request information and the inspection execution informationto the transmission suspension time determination unit 405. Theinspection management unit 407 instructs the “unit for counting thenumber of additional imaging operations for user” 409 and the “unit forcounting the number of additional imaging operations for patient” 410 totransmit the number of additional imaging operations. The “unit forcounting the number of additional imaging operations for user” 409 andthe “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations forpatient” 410 receive the instruction to transmit the number ofadditional imaging operations and then transmit the information aboutthe number of additional imaging operations stored therein to thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405. The transmissionsuspension time determination unit 405 receives the inspection requestinformation, the inspection execution information, information about thenumber of additional imaging operations for user, and information aboutthe number of additional imaging operations for patient. Thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405 determines atransmission suspension time using a method of determining atransmission suspension time described below.

In step S709, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405transmits an instruction to start counting to the transmissionsuspension time counting unit 408. The transmission suspension timecounting unit 408 receives the instruction to start counting and thenstarts counting. The transmission suspension time counting unit 408 endscounting and then transmits the counting end notification to theinspection management unit 407.

In step S710, the imaging execution unit 404 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to execute an additional imagingoperation while the transmission suspension time counting unit 408 iscounting a transmission suspension time, i.e., before the inspectionmanagement unit 407 receives the counting end notification of thetransmission suspension time. If the operator does not issue theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation (NO in stepS710), the imaging execution unit 404 advances the processing to stepS711.

In step S711, the transmission suspension time counting unit 408transmits the counting end notification to the inspection managementunit 407.

In step S712, the inspection management unit 407 shifts the inspectionstate from the state where a transmission is suspended to the statewhere the inspection is ended. For the inspection shifted to an endstate, the inspection management unit 407 instructs the transmissionunit 411 to transmit the inspection end notification, the inspection endinformation, and the image data. The transmission unit 411 transmits theinspection end notification, to which the inspection end information isadded, and the image data to the intra-hospital information system 300corresponding thereto.

The inspection management unit 407 updates the past inspectioninformation list displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. Morespecifically, the inspection management unit 407 changes indication inthe column of “inspection end information notification” of theinspection being in the end state on the past inspection list to“Ended.” An example of the GUI for updating the past inspection list isdescribed below in FIG. 7.

The intra-hospital information system 300 receives the inspection endnotification, to which the inspection end information is added, and theimage data. Then, the image storage and display apparatus 306 stores thereceived image data and the RIS 302 manages the inspection endinformation in a database.

On the other hand, if the imaging execution unit 404 determines that theoperator instructs the execution of the additional imaging operation(YES in step S710), the imaging execution unit 404 conducts processingfor an additional imaging operation described below and the processingreturns to step S703. The flow of the inspection after resumption issimilar to that in steps S703 to S709 described above.

In other words, if the processing is advanced to step S706 after theinspection is resumed based on the instruction to execute the additionalimaging operation, the inspection management unit 407 updates andgenerates the inspection end information using the inspection executioninformation including the imaging operation added by the instruction toexecute the additional imaging operation. The inspection management unit407 may generate new inspection end information using the inspectionexecution information including the imaging operation added by theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation.

In step S708, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines a transmission suspension time based on the inspectionexecution information including the imaging operation added by theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation.

In step S712, the transmission unit 411 transmits the inspection endnotification to which the updated inspection end information is addedand the image data to the intra-hospital information system 300 afterthe newly determined transmission suspension time passes. If the newinspection end information is generated based on the imaging operationadded by the instruction to execute the additional imaging operation,the transmission unit 411 transmits the inspection end informationgenerated before the imaging operation is added and the inspection endinformation generated after the imaging operation is added.

The resumption of the inspection according to the instruction to executethe additional imaging operation may be repeated over and over againuntil the counting of the transmission suspension time is ended. Thus,in the present exemplary embodiment, an inspection may be added even tothe inspection which is instructed to end unless the transmissionsuspension time passes, which eliminates the need for inspecting againas a new inspection or consolidating an inspection conducted for anunidentified patient.

The operation processing for determining the transmission suspensiontime in the medical imaging apparatus is described below with referenceto a flow chart illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flow chartillustrating an example of the operation processing performed from thetime of issue of the instruction to end the inspection to the time ofdetermination of the transmission suspension time. The processing isimplemented by the CPU 18 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 executingthe program stored in the ROM 16.

In step S1001, the imaging execution unit 404 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to end the inspection. The processingcorresponds to the processing in steps S705 to S706 illustrated in FIG.4. The inspection management unit 407 transmits the inspection requestinformation and the inspection execution information to the transmissionsuspension time determination unit 405.

In step S1002, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines whether a transmission suspension time is uniformly set toall inspections irrespective of the inspection information by referringto the index storage unit 403. If the transmission suspension time isuniformly set to all inspections (YES in step S1002), the processingproceeds to step s1013. If the transmission suspension time is notuniformly set to all inspections (NO in step S1002), the processingproceeds to step S1003.

In step S1003, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405acquires the inspection request information among the informationtransmitted from the inspection management unit 407.

In step S1004, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines whether the inspection request information is used as anindex score by referring to the index storage unit 403. If theinspection request information is not used as an index score (NO in stepS1004), the processing proceeds to step S1006. If the inspection requestinformation is used as an index score (YES in step S1004), theprocessing proceeds to step S1005.

In step S1005, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405calculates an inspection request information index score based on theacquired inspection request information and the index storage unit 403.More specifically, the transmission suspension time determination unit405 confirms setting as to whether each item included in the inspectionrequest information is used as an index. In the case of the settingwhere each item is not used as an index, the transmission suspensiontime determination unit 405 sets the index score X for the item to 0 andacquires a weighting coefficient A. On the other hand, in the case ofthe setting where each item is used as an index, the transmissionsuspension time determination unit 405 acquires the index score X set tothe item and the weighting coefficient A. The transmission suspensiontime determination unit 405 calculates the product of the index scoreand the weighting coefficient for each item in both cases.

The transmission suspension time determination unit 405 performs thecalculation of all items included in the inspection request information(the number of items is assumed to be I) and calculates the total “SSCHEDULED” of the values calculated from all items of the inspectionrequest information.

In step S1006, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405acquires the inspection execution information among the informationtransmitted from the inspection management unit 407.

In step S1007, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines whether the inspection execution information is used as anindex score by referring to the index storage unit 403. If theinspection execution information is not used as an index score (NO instep S1007), the processing proceeds to step S1009. If the inspectionexecution information is used as an index score (YES in step S1007), theprocessing proceeds to step S1008.

In step S1008, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405calculates an inspection execution information index score based on theacquired inspection execution information and the index storage unit403. Specifically the processing is similar to that in step S1005, sothat the description thereof is omitted. The transmission suspensiontime determination unit 405 calculates the total “S PERFORMED” of thevalues calculated from all items of the inspection request information.

In step S1009, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405acquires information about the number of additional imaging operationsfor user from the “unit for counting the number of additional imagingoperations for user” 409 and acquires information about the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient from the “unit for countingthe number of additional imaging operations for patient” 410.

In step S1010, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines whether the number of additional imaging operations for useror the number of additional imaging operations for patient is used as anindex score by referring to the index storage unit 403. If the number ofadditional imaging operations for user or the number of additionalimaging operations for patient is not used as an index score (NO in stepS1010), the processing proceeds to step S1012. If the number ofadditional imaging operations for user or the number of additionalimaging operations for patient is used as an index score (YES in stepS1010), the processing proceeds to step S1011.

In step S1011, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405calculates an index score of the number of additional imaging operationsbased on the acquired number of additional imaging operations forpatient and number of additional imaging operations for patient and theindex storage unit 403. Specifically the processing is similar to thatin step S1005, so that the description thereof is omitted. Thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405 calculates the total“S ADDEXP” of the values calculated from all items of the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient and the number of additionalimaging operations for patient.

In step S1012, transmission suspension time determination unit 405calculates the index score total S by adding values “S SCHEDULED,” “SPERFORMED” and “S ADDEXP” calculated in the above steps. In this case,the number of additional imaging operations for user or the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient is not used as an index score,so that zero is substituted for the total in which calculation isomitted.

In step S1013, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines a transmission suspension time from a table of correspondencebetween the index score total and the transmission suspension timestored in the index storage unit 403.

In S1014, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405notifies the transmission suspension time counting unit 408 of aninstruction to start counting immediately after determining atransmission suspension time. On the other hand, in step S1002, if thetransmission suspension time is uniformly set to all inspections, thenin step S1013, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405determines the set suspension time as a transmission suspension time.Consequently, the operator does not need to confirm a transmissionsuspension time. This offers an advantage of reducing the redundancy ofa workflow in which the operator needs to confirm a transmissionsuspension time because the transmission suspension time of theinspection is unclear when an additional imaging is required, forexample.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a correspondence table between theindex score total value and the transmission suspension time. Theinformation of a correspondence table 1301 illustrated in FIG. 6 isstored in the index storage unit 403. The correspondence table 1301stores the transmission suspension time of each region of an index scoretotal value. The index score setting unit 402 can previously change theregion of an index score total value and the corresponding transmissionsuspension time in the correspondence table 1301 before the start of theinspection according to the setting of the operator.

Thus, the aforementioned method of determining the transmissionsuspension time is used to determine the transmission suspension timebased on information such as the inspection request information, theinspection execution information and the number of additional imagingoperations, allowing the calculation of the transmission suspension timecorresponding to inspection. The patient information is included in theinspection request information and not directly used as an index. Apatient is identified by patient information to enable identifying thestate of a patient to be inspected such as an outpatient and aninpatient and an inspection type (such as a group medical examination, ageneral medical examination, and a trauma examination, for example).Thus, the inspection is comprehensively determined from various pointsof view to allow the determination of the transmission suspension timethat maintains the balance between information about whether theinspection end notification of the inspection needs to be urgentlytransmitted and the complicatedness in the inspection. Morespecifically, for example, patient state information and inspection typeinformation are included in the patient information, thereby thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405 determines thetransmission suspension time based on the patient state information andthe inspection type information included in the patient information.

The GUI of the past inspection information list is described below withreference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a chart illustrating an example of a pastinspection display screen of the past inspection list displayed in stepS707 illustrated in FIG. 4.

A past inspection display screen 1201 illustrated in FIG. 7 indicates apast inspection information list display area 1202. The past inspectioninformation list display area 1202 indicates inspection information bothin a transmission suspension state and in an end state. The uppermostrow of the past inspection information list display area 1202 is aninformation item-name indication section 1203 for indicating each itemname of the past inspection information. The information item-nameindication section 1203 indicates all items included in the inspectionend information. Items to be indicated can be selected when the operatorchanges the setting. If items to be indicated are too many to be listedon the past inspection display screen 1201, the operator may manipulatea scroll bar to confirm all items to be indicated, for example.

The information item-name indication section 1203 includes an inspectionend information notification indication section 1204. The inspection endinformation notification indication section 1204 indicates whether thepast inspection indicated in the past inspection information listdisplay area 1202 is in a transmission suspension state or in an endstate. The inspection end information notification indication section1204 in the example of the past inspection display screen 1201illustrated in FIG. 7 indicates the transmission suspension state with“Unended” and the end state with “Ended.” However, this does not holdtrue provided that the operator identifies the inspection state.

The past inspection display screen 1201 indicates a past inspectiondetail indication section 1205. The past inspection detail indicationsection 1205 indicates a detailed summary of the inspection endinformation about the inspection selected on the past inspectioninformation list display area 1202.

Thus, the operator can refer to the detailed summary of informationabout the selected inspection on the past inspection detail indicationsection 1205 by selecting inspection contents indicated on the pastinspection information list display area 1202. Incidentally, theoperator can confirm neither more specific information about theinspection (for example, image processing parameters used for imagingoperations in the inspection) nor the acquired image data via the pastinspection display screen 1201. In that case, the operator selects theinspection in which the operator wants to confirm more specificinformation in the past inspection information list display area 1202and presses a “view” button 1207, thereby switching the GUI to displaythe more specific information or acquired image data.

The operator can add an inspection to the inspection in a transmissionsuspension state among the inspections indicated in the past inspectioninformation list display area 1202. In this case, the operator selectsthe inspection which desires the additional imaging operation from thepast inspection information list display area 1202 and presses an“inspection resumption” button 1206, thereby allowing the issuance of aninstruction to execute the additional imaging operation.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus in instructingthe inspection being in a transmission suspension state to execute theadditional imaging operation is described below with reference to a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is the flow chart illustrating anexample of operation processing from the issuance of the instruction toexecute the additional imaging operation to the resumption of theinspection. The processing is implemented by the CPU 18 of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 executing the program stored in the ROM 16.

In step S1101, the imaging execution unit 404 determines that theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation is issued whenthe operator presses the “inspection resumption” button 1206 asdescribed above. The processing corresponds to the processing returningfrom step S710 to S703 in the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 4.

In step S1102, the inspection management unit 407 transmits aninspection end instruction cancel request to the end instruction cancelunit 406. The end instruction cancel unit 406 receives the inspectionend instruction cancel request and then shifts the inspection in atransmission suspension state to the inspection in an execution state.

In step S1103, the inspection management unit 407 transmits a countreset request to the transmission suspension time counting unit 408. Thetransmission suspension time counting unit 408 receives the count resetrequest, ends count on the way and resets count.

In step S1104, the inspection management unit 407 transmits aninstruction to add counting to the “unit for counting the number ofadditional imaging operations for user” 409 and the “unit for countingthe number of additional imaging operations for patient 410.” The “unitfor counting the number of additional imaging operations for user” 409adds one to the number of additional imaging operations for useraccording to the instruction to add counting.

In step S1105, the “unit for counting the number of additional imagingoperations for patient” 410 similarly adds one to the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient according to the instructionto add counting.

In step S1106, the inspection management unit 407 notifies thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405 of the issuance ofthe instruction to execute the additional imaging operation. Thetransmission suspension time determination unit 405 is notified and thendetermines whether the presence or absence of the addition of imaging isused as an index score by referring to the index storage unit 403. Ifthe presence or absence of the addition of imaging is used as an indexscore (YES in step S1106), the transmission suspension timedetermination unit 405 advances the processing to step S1107. If thepresence or absence of the addition of imaging is not used as an indexscore (NO in step S1106), the transmission suspension time determinationunit 405 advances the processing to step S1108.

In step S1107, the transmission suspension time determination unit 405sets the presence or absence of the addition of imaging in inspectioninformation to presence.

In step S1108, the inspection management unit 407 deletes the resumedinspection in the past inspection list displayed by the GUI of thedisplay unit 11 from the past inspection list to update the pastinspection list.

In step S1109, the imaging execution unit 404 resumes the inspection.

Thus, the inspection in a transmission suspension state can be resumedaccording to the operator's instruction to execute the additionalimaging operation.

An example of the GUI for confirming and setting the index score usedfor determining the transmission suspension time and stored in the indexstorage unit is described below with reference to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the initial state of anindex score setting screen. The index score setting unit 402 displays anindex score setting screen 901 illustrated in FIG. 9 on the display unit11 according to the operator's instruction to set an index score. Insetting the index score, the operator can perform “the confirmation ofthe index score,” “the addition, deletion, and change of the indexitem,” and “the change of score and weighting coefficient of the indexitem.” As described below, the index score setting unit 402 sets theindex used for determining the transmission suspension time according tothe operator's operation of setting the index used for determining thetransmission suspension time.

The index score setting screen 901 displays a button 902 for “theconfirmation of the index score,” a button 903 for “the addition,deletion, and change of the index item,” and a button 904 for “thechange of score and weighting coefficient of the index item”corresponding to the above-mentioned processing. The operator pressingthese buttons causes the index score setting unit 402 to display acorresponding screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for settingadding, deleting, and availability of items used as an index in settingthe index score. The index score setting unit 402 displays an index itemediting screen 1001 illustrated in FIG. 10 according to the operatorpressing the button 903 for “the addition, deletion, and change of theindex item” on the index score setting screen 901 illustrated in FIG. 9.The index item editing screen 1001 includes an index item additionportion 1002 and an index item editing portion 1008.

The index item addition portion 1002 is an area for adding a new indexitem. When a new index item is added, the operator inputs the name ofthe index item into an item name input portion 1003 and selects aninformation type under which the added item falls at an information typeselection portion 1004. The operator inputs a tag value for identifyingthe index item into a tag value input portion 1005. The operatorpressing a new addition item determination portion 1007 causes the indexscore setting unit 402 to add a new index item to input the new indexitem into the index item editing portion 1008. In this stage, the newlyadded index item itself is substantially vacant. For this reason, ascore and a weighting coefficient need to be set to the newly addedindex item.

When a score and a weighting coefficient need to be set to the newlyadded index item, the operator presses a score and weighting coefficientsetting portion 1006. Thereby the index score setting unit 402 displaysa score and weighting coefficient setting screen. If there exists anindex item to which a score and a weighting coefficient are not yet setwhen the operator presses an index item editing end portion 1015, theindex score setting unit 402 forcibly displays the score and weightingcoefficient setting screen to urge the operator to set a score and aweighting coefficient. The score and weighting coefficient settingscreen is described below with reference to FIG. 11.

The index item editing portion 1008 is an area for deleting and changingthe currently set index score. The change of an index item refers to thechange of setting as to whether the currently set index item is actuallyused as an index item without being deleted. The index item editingportion 1008 displays an inspection request information setting portion1009, an inspection execution information setting portion 1010, “aportion for setting the number of additional imaging operations 1011,”an index item display portion 1012, an index item selection portion1013, an index item deletion instruction portion 1014, and an index itemediting end portion 1015.

The inspection request information setting portion 1009, the inspectionexecution information setting portion 1010, and “the portion for settingthe number of additional imaging operations 1011” are areas for settingwhether respective information types are collectively used as indexitems. The operator checks check boxes on the left side of the names ofthe respective information types to cause the index score setting unit402 to perform setting so that all the index items included in theinformation type can be used. However, even if the information type ischecked, the index score setting unit 402 performs setting whether touse index items for each index item by the operator checking orunchecking the check boxes of the index item selection portion 1013.

The index score setting unit 402 performs setting so that all the indexitems included in the information type cannot be used by the operatorunchecking the check boxes on the left side of the names of therespective information types. In this case, however, the operator cannotset whether to use index items for each index item.

The index item deletion instruction portion 1014 is displayed incorrespondence to the index item display portion 1012. The operatorpressing the index item deletion instruction portion 1014 causes theindex score setting unit 402 to delete the corresponding index itemregistered to the index storage unit 403 and delete the correspondingindex item from the index item editing portion 1008. Finally, theoperator pressing the index item editing end portion 1015 causes theindex score setting unit 402 to shift the display from the index itemediting screen 1001 to the index score setting screen 901.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a score and weightingcoefficient setting screen. The operator pressing the button 902 of “theconfirmation of the index item” or the button 904 of “the change ofscore and weighting coefficient of the index item” on the index scoresetting screen 901 illustrated in FIG. 9 causes the index score settingunit 402 to display an index item score editing screen 1101 illustratedin FIG. 11. The index item score editing screen 1101 includes an indexitem search portion 1102 and an index item score setting portion 1108.

The index item search portion 1102 is an area for searching thecurrently set index items. When searching index items, the operatorinputs characters or values to any of an item name input portion 1103,an information type selection portion 1104, and a tag value inputportion 1105 and then presses a search execution instruction portion1106. Thereby, the index score setting unit 402 executes searching forthe index items stored in the index storage unit 403 using the inputsearch conditions. If the operator inputs a plurality of searchconditions, the index score setting unit 402 executes searching with anAND search. A search result display portion 1107 displays the index itemhit with the search. The operator selecting the index item displayed onthe search result display portion 1107 causes the index score settingunit 402 to display the score set to the index item and the index itemon the index item score setting portion 1108.

The index item score setting portion 1108 includes a set valuedisplaying and setting portion 1109, an index score displaying andsetting portion 1110, a weighting coefficient setting and displayingportion 1111, an update execution instruction portion 1112, and an indexitem score editing end portion 1113. The set value displaying andsetting portion 1109, the index score displaying and setting portion1110, and the weighting coefficient setting and displaying portion 1111display the set value, the score and the weighting coefficient set tothe index item selected on the search result display portion 1107.However, when the operator presses the button 902 of “the confirmationof the index item” on the index score setting screen 901 illustrated inFIG. 9, display only for confirmation purpose is made. In other words,the set value displaying and setting portion 1109, the index scoredisplaying and setting portion 1110, and the weighting coefficientsetting and displaying portion 1111 display only the set value, so thatthe operator cannot change the value.

When the operator presses the button 904 of “the change of score andweighting coefficient of the index item” on the index score settingscreen 901 illustrated in FIG. 9, the operator can delete the set valueon the set value displaying and setting portion 1109. Furthermore, theoperator can change the set value on the index score displaying andsetting portion 1110 and the weighting coefficient setting anddisplaying portion 1111. The operator performing change on the set valuedisplaying and setting portion 1109, the index score displaying andsetting portion 1110, and the weighting coefficient setting anddisplaying portion 1111 and pressing the update execution instructionportion 1112 causes the index score setting unit 402 to store the changeinto the index storage unit 403. Finally, the operator pressing theindex item score editing end portion 1113 causes the index score settingunit 402 to shift display from the index item score editing screen 1101to the index score setting screen 901. Thus, the setting of the indexitem, the score and the weighting coefficient is made changeable toallow setting a flexible method of determining the transmissionsuspension time to which an operation system for each facility isapplied.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow. The first exemplary embodiment the inspection end notification isnot transmitted unless the transmission suspension time has passed.Thus, a case where accounting is urgently desired cannot be achieved.The second exemplary embodiment described below can perform accountingin the intra-hospital information system as required even in thetransmission suspension state in which the inspection end notificationis not transmitted to the intra-hospital information system.

An internal configuration of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe second exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 12.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus. The medical imagingapparatus 303 according to the present exemplary embodiment is similarin configuration to that in the first exemplary embodiment illustratedin FIG. 3. The components 501 to 511 of the medical imaging apparatus303 illustrated in FIG. 12 correspond to the components 401 to 411 ofthe medical imaging apparatus 303 illustrated in FIG. 3. Accordingly,description of components 501 to 511 is omitted to avoid unnecessaryduplication.

In the first exemplary embodiment, the transmission suspension time iscalculated for each inspection and the inspection end notification ismerely transmitted after counting is ended. The present exemplaryembodiment enables transmitting the inspection end information about theinspection irrespective of a counting state if the inspection endinformation is not yet transmitted in the case where accounting isdesired in the intra-hospital information system 300. In other words, inthe present exemplary embodiment, the reception unit 501 receives notonly the inspection request information but also the accounting requesttransmitted from the intra-hospital information system 300.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing performed from the time of reception of the inspectionrequest information to the time of transmission of the inspection endnotification. The processing is implemented by the CPU 18 of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 executing the program stored in the ROM 16.

Steps S801 to S810 in the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 13 are similarto steps S701 to S710 in FIG. 4 of the first exemplary embodiment. Forthis reason, the processing only in step S811 and following steps isdescribed.

In step S811, the reception unit 501 determines whether theintra-hospital information system 300 notifies the reception unit 501 ofaccounting request while the transmission suspension time counting unit508 is counting a transmission suspension time. In other words, thereception unit 501 determines whether the intra-hospital informationsystem 300 notifies the reception unit 501 of accounting request beforethe inspection management unit 507 receives the counting endnotification of the transmission suspension time. If the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 notifies the reception unit 501 of the accountingrequest (YES in step S811), the processing proceeds to step S813.

In step S813, the reception unit 501 is notified of the accountingrequest by the intra-hospital information system 300. The reception unit501 transmits the accounting request to the inspection management unit507 via the imaging execution unit 504. When the inspection managementunit 507 receives the accounting request, the inspection management unit507 confirms that the inspection in which accounting is requested is ina transmission suspension state. After the confirmation, the inspectionmanagement unit 507 issues an instruction to forcibly end counting tothe transmission suspension time counting unit 508 and shifts the stateof the inspection from a transmission suspension state to an end state.The transmission suspension time counting unit 508 receives theinstruction to forcibly end counting and then ends counting of thetransmission suspension time of the inspection subjected to theinstruction.

In step S814, the inspection management unit 507 issues an instructionto transmit the inspection end notification, the inspection endinformation, and the image data of the inspection rendered to the endstate to the transmission unit 511. The transmission unit 511 transmitsthe inspection end notification, to which the inspection end informationis added, and the image data to the intra-hospital information system300 corresponding thereto.

The inspection management unit 507 updates the past inspection listdisplayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. More specifically, theinspection management unit 507 changes indication in the column of“inspection end information notification” of the inspection the state ofwhich is shifted to the end state in the past inspection list to“Ended.”

On the other hand, if the reception unit 501 does not receive theaccounting request (NO in step S811), the processing proceeds to stepS812. The processing in step S812 is similar to that in step S711 of theflow chart of the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, sothat the description thereof is omitted.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the resumption of the inspectionaccording to the instruction to execute an additional imaging operationmay be repeated over and over again until the counting of thetransmission suspension time is ended or the accounting request istransmitted from the intra-hospital information system 300.

Thus, according to the present exemplary embodiment, if the accountingrequest is transmitted from the intra-hospital information system 300,the counting of the transmission suspension time is forcibly ended andthe inspection end notification, to which the inspection end informationis added, and the image data are transmitted to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 corresponding thereto. Consequently, theintra-hospital information system 300 can quickly perform accounting.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow. In the foregoing exemplary embodiments, if the operator turns offthe power supply of the medical imaging apparatus during thetransmission suspension state where the inspection end notification isnot transmitted to the intra-hospital information system, the inspectionend notification remains untransmitted, so that the intra-hospitalinformation system cannot perform post-processing. In the thirdexemplary embodiment, even if the operator turns off the power supply ofthe medical imaging apparatus in the transmission suspension state wherethe inspection end notification is generally not transmitted to theintra-hospital information system, the inspection end notification canbe transmitted to the intra-hospital information system.

An internal configuration of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe third exemplary embodiment is described below with reference to FIG.14.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus. The medical imagingapparatus 303 according to the present exemplary embodiment issubstantially similar in configuration to that in the first exemplaryembodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, but different from the first exemplaryembodiment in that the medical imaging apparatus 303 includes a powersupply unit 614. The components 601 to 611 of the medical imagingapparatus 303 illustrated in FIG. 14 correspond to the components 401 to411 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 illustrated in FIG. 3.Accordingly, description thereof is omitted to avoid unnecessaryduplication.

The power supply unit 614 is attached to the medical imaging apparatus303 and turns on and off the medical imaging apparatus 303. When thepower supply unit 614 switches the medical imaging apparatus 303 fromthe on state to the off state, the power supply unit 614 transmits apower supply OFF notification to the inspection management unit 607.When the inspection management unit 607 receives the power supply OFFnotification, the inspection management unit 607 causes the transmissionunit 611 to forcibly transmit the inspection end notification of theinspection in the transmission suspension state to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 irrespective of a counting state of thetransmission suspension time.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating an example of theoperation processing performed from the time of reception of theinspection request information to the time of transmission of theinspection end notification. The processing is implemented by the CPU 18of the medical imaging apparatus 303 executing the program stored in theROM 16.

Steps S901 to S910 in the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 15 are similarto steps S701 to S710 in FIG. 4 of the first exemplary embodiment. Forthis reason, the processing only in step S911 and following steps isdescribed.

In step S911, the power supply unit 614 determines whether the operatorissues an instruction to turn off the power supply of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 while the transmission suspension time countingunit 608 is counting a transmission suspension time. In other words, thepower supply unit 614 determines whether the operator issues aninstruction to turn off the power supply of the medical imagingapparatus 303 before the inspection management unit 607 receives thecounting end notification of the transmission suspension time. If theoperator issues the instruction to turn off the power supply (YES instep S911), the processing proceeds to step S913.

In step S913, the power supply unit 614 transmits the power supply OFFnotification to the inspection management unit 607 before turning offthe power supply. The inspection management unit 607 receives the powersupply OFF notification and then issues an instruction to forcibly endcounting to the transmission suspension time counting unit 608. Theinspection management unit 607 issues an instruction to forcibly endcounting to the transmission suspension time counting unit 608 andshifts the state of all inspections in which the transmission suspensiontime is counted from a transmission suspension state to an end state.The transmission suspension time counting unit 608 receives theinstruction to forcibly end counting and then ends the counting of thetransmission suspension time of the inspection subjected to theinstruction.

In step S915, the inspection management unit 607 instructs thetransmission unit 611 to transmit the inspection end notification, theinspection end information, and the image data of all inspectionsrendered to the end state for each inspection to the transmission unit611. The transmission unit 611 receives the instruction for transmissionand then transmits the inspection end notification, to which theinspection end information is added, and the image data to theintra-hospital information system 300 corresponding thereto.

The transmission unit 611 confirms that the inspection end notificationof all inspections is transmitted and then transmits the transmissionend notification to the power supply unit 614 via the inspectionmanagement unit 607. The power supply unit 614 receives the transmissionend notification and then turns off the power supply of the medicalimaging apparatus 303.

The inspection management unit 607 updates the past inspection listdisplayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. More specifically, theinspection management unit 607 changes indication in the column of“inspection end information notification” of the inspection the state ofwhich is shifted to the end state in the past inspection list to“Ended.”

On the other hand, if the power supply unit 614 does not determine thatthe operator issues an instruction to turn off the power supply (NO instep S911), the processing proceeds to steps S912 and S914. Theprocessing in steps S912 and S914 is similar to that in steps S711 andS712 of the flow chart of the first exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, so that the description thereof is omitted.

The flow chart illustrated in FIG. 15 describes the case where thetiming at which the operator issues the instruction to turn off thepower supply of the medical imaging apparatus 303 is determined afterthe processing in step S910, but the timing is not limited to this case.In other words, irrespective of the timing at which the operator issuesthe instruction, the power supply unit 614 determines that the operatorissues the instruction to turn off the power supply of the medicalimaging apparatus 303, and thereafter, the processing proceeds to stepsS913 and S915 and the aforementioned processing is performed.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the resumption of the inspectionaccording to the instruction to execute an additional imaging operationmay be repeated over and over again until the counting of thetransmission suspension time is ended or the power supply of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 is turned off.

Thus, according to the present exemplary embodiment, even if the powersupply of the medical imaging apparatus 303 is turned off, theinspection end notification of the inspection being in the transmissionsuspension state is transmitted to the intra-hospital information system300 to allow preventing the inspection end notification from not beingtransmitted.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow.

In the forgoing exemplary embodiments, even though the operator wants toexamine the image data of the inspection in the transmission suspensionstate using a high-resolution image storage display apparatus, the imagedata is not transmitted to the image storage and display apparatusunless the transmission suspension time passes. For this reason, theoperator cannot quickly examine the image data. In the present exemplaryembodiment, the timing of transmitting the image data and the inspectionend notification is made different therebetween to enable the operatorto quickly examine the image data and determine whether to execute anadditional imaging operation.

An internal configuration of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe fourth exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 16.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus. The functionalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus illustrated in FIG. 16 isimplemented by the CPU 18 executing the program stored in the ROM 16 andthe internal storage device 19. In FIG. 16, the HIS 301 and the RIS 302are consolidated into an inspection management system 307. Theinspection management system 307 and the image storage and displayapparatus 306 are consolidated into the intra-hospital informationsystem 300. In FIG. 16, although the image storage and display apparatus306 is used, an image display apparatus for merely displaying image datamay be used.

A reception unit 1405 communicates with the inspection management system307 and the image storage and display apparatus 306 and in particularreceives the inspection request information.

An inspection request information management unit 1406 receives theinspection request information from the reception unit 1405 and managesthe inspection request information. The inspection request informationmanagement unit 1406 displays the inspection request list on the GUI ofthe display unit 11 and receives the inspection start notification andthe inspection end notification of the inspection request informationstored therein from the imaging execution unit 1408. When the inspectionrequest information management unit 1406 receives the inspection endnotification, the inspection request information management unit 1406receives the inspection execution information including the executioncontents of the inspection.

The inspection request information management unit 1406 receives theinspection execution information and then generates the inspection endinformation of which the inspection management system 307 is notifiedusing corresponding inspection request information and the inspectionexecution information.

The inspection execution information management unit 1407 receives theinspection request information and manages execution state of eachinspection: the inspection being not yet executed; being executed; in atransmission suspension state; being ended; or being resumed; incollaboration with the imaging execution unit 1408. The state where theinspection is not yet executed refers to the state where the inspectionis never started after the reception of the inspection requestinformation. The state where the inspection is being executed refers tothe state where an imaging operation is executed by the medical imagingapparatus 303. The transmission suspension state refers to the statewhere the inspection is executed once, an instruction to end theinspection is issued after the inspection is started and the inspectionend notification is suspended. The state where the inspection is endedrefers to the state where the determined transmission suspension timepasses and the inspection end information and the image storage requestare transmitted to the intra-hospital information system 300. The statewhere the inspection is resumed refers to the state where an instructionto execute an additional imaging operation is issued to the inspectionin the transmission suspension state and an imaging operation isexecuted by the medical imaging apparatus 303. The inspection executioninformation management unit 1407 manages a state of all the inspectionrequest information stored in the medical imaging apparatus 303 to playa role to maintain consistency. The inspection execution informationmanagement unit 1407 includes an arithmetic unit and a main storage unitsuch as a CPU and a program controlling the units.

An imaging execution unit 1408 executes an imaging operation accordingto the instruction of the operator. The imaging execution unit 1408notifies the inspection request information management unit 1406 and theinspection execution information management unit 1407 of the operator'sinstruction to start the inspection and instruction to end theinspection. The imaging execution unit 1408 received the instruction toend the inspection and then transmits the acquired image data to animage data management unit 1409.

The imaging execution unit 1408 is connected to an external userinterface such as a mouse controller and a keyboard. The imagingexecution unit 1408 controls the GUI displayed on the display unit 11 ofthe medical imaging apparatus 303 according to the operation of theoperator.

The image data management unit 1409 manages the image data acquired byexecuting the inspection. More specifically, the image data managementunit 1409 stores the image data received from the imaging execution unit1408, transmits the image data to the transmission unit 1416 andinstructs the transmission unit 1416 to transmit the image data.

The transmission unit 1416 communicates with the intra-hospitalinformation system 300 and particularly transmits the inspection endinformation, the image storage request, and the acquired image data.

A transmission suspension time management unit 1412 receives theinspection request information, patient information, inspectionexecution information, information about the number of additionalimaging operations for operator, and information about the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient. The transmission suspensiontime management unit 1412 calculates an index score by referring to anindex storage unit 1411 to determine a transmission suspension time ofthe image storage request and a transmission suspension time of theinspection end information for each inspection.

A transmission suspension time counting unit 1415 starts countingaccording to an instruction to start counting issued from thetransmission suspension time management unit 1412. The transmissionsuspension time counting unit 1415 counts a transmission suspension timeand then transmits a counting end notification to the transmission unit1416. In the present exemplary embodiment, although the transmissionsuspension time counting unit 1415 is included in the medical imagingapparatus 303, in another alternative, the transmission suspension timecounting unit 1415 may be directly connected to the medical imagingapparatus 303 from the outside using a connection interface such as USB,for example.

A “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations foruser” 1413 counts the number of additional imaging operations for eachoperator using user information of the operator stored inside each timethe “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations foruser” 1413 is notified of the additional imaging operation by theinspection execution information management unit 1407.

A “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations forpatient” 1414 counts the number of additional imaging operations foreach patient using patient information stored inside each time the “unitfor counting the number of additional imaging operations for patient”1414 is notified of the additional imaging operation by the inspectionexecution information management unit 1407.

The index storage unit 1411 stores: each item included in the inspectionrequest information, patient information, inspection executioninformation, information about the number of additional imagingoperations for user, and information about the number of additionalimaging operations for patient; index scores set thereto; and aweighting coefficient for each item. The index storage unit 1411includes the internal storage device 19 and a program for controllingthe internal storage device 19. In the present exemplary embodiment,although the index storage unit 1411 is included in the medical imagingapparatus 303, in another alternative, the index storage unit 1411 maybe directly connected to the medical imaging apparatus 303 from theoutside using a connection interface such as USB, for example. The indexstorage unit 1411 may be comprised of an information storage server tobe connected to a plurality of the medical imaging apparatus 303 via thenetwork. The plurality of the medical imaging apparatus 303 shares theindex storage unit 1411 therebetween via the network to eliminate theneed for setting the index scores in each medical imaging apparatus 303,facilitating the management of index scores, which enables theimprovement of consistency between the index scores.

An index score setting unit 1410 determines whether each item stored inthe index storage unit 1411 is used as an index score. If each item isused, the index score setting unit 1410 changes the score and the valueof weighting coefficient for each item.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference tothe flow chart illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a flow chartillustrating an example of the operation processing performed from thetime of reception of the inspection request information to the time oftransmission of the inspection end notification. The processing isimplemented by the CPU 18 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 executingthe program stored in the ROM 16.

In step S1701, the transmission unit 1416 requests the inspectionmanagement system 307 to transmit the inspection request information viathe network. The request is made when the operator mainly presses theacquisition instruction button for the inspection request informationdisplayed by the GUI on the display unit 11 of the medical imagingapparatus 303. Alternatively, the transmission unit 1416 mayautomatically make a request every predetermined time interval or maymake a request at the timing at which the operator issues an instructionto display the inspection request information as a list. The timing isnot limited only to the above.

When the transmission of the inspection request information isrequested, an acquisition condition can be set to an item included inthe inspection request information. In other words, the transmissionunit 1416 requests the inspection management system 307 with at leastone acquisition condition input. In this case, the inspection managementsystem 307 extracts the inspection request information in which aninspection is not yet started and which matches with the acquisitioncondition from the stored inspection request information and transmitsthe inspection request information to the medical imaging apparatus 303.The reception unit 1405 receives the returned inspection requestinformation. The reception unit 1405 then transmits the acquiredinspection request information to the inspection request informationmanagement unit 1406. The inspection request information management unit1406 lists the received inspection request information to display thelist on the display unit 11 with the GUI and stores the inspectionrequest information in the internal storage device 19.

In step S1702, the operator selects the inspection request informationto be executed from the inspection request information displayed as thelist. The inspection request information management unit 1406 switchesthe inspection request information selected by the operator to detailedinformation and displays the detailed information. The operator mayselect not only one piece of inspection request informationcorresponding to the inspection to be executed from the inspectionrequest information displayed on the list but also a plurality ofinspections. In other words, the medical imaging apparatus 303 can startthe inspections in the selected inspection request information at thesame time.

In step S1703, the operator presses the inspection start buttondisplayed by the GUI on the display unit 11.

In step S1704, the imaging execution unit 1408 starts inspection basedon the inspection request information selected according to theoperator's instruction to start the inspection. At this point, theimaging execution unit 1408 instructs the transmission unit 1416 via theinspection execution information management unit 1407 to send theinspection start notification to the inspection management system 307.At this point, the inspection execution information management unit 1407shifts the state of the sent inspection request information from thestate where the inspection is not yet executed to the state where theinspection is being executed. The transmission unit 1416 transmits theinspection start notification to the inspection management system 307.After that, the imaging execution unit 1408 repetitively executesimaging operations according to the operator's instruction to executethe imaging operations.

In step S1705, the imaging execution unit 1408 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to end the inspection. The operatorpresses the inspection end button displayed by the GUI on the displayunit 11 when the operator ends all the imaging operations and the postprocessing required for the inspection. If the imaging execution unit1408 receives the operator's instruction to end the inspection (YES instep S1705), the imaging execution unit 1408 advances the processing tostep S1706. If the imaging execution unit 1408 does not receive theoperator's instruction to end the inspection (NO in step S1705), theimaging execution unit 1408 returns the processing to step S1704.

In step S1706, the imaging execution unit 1408 ends the inspection beingexecuted and generates the inspection execution information from theinspection execution result. Thereafter, the imaging execution unit 1408transmits the inspection end notification and the inspection executioninformation to the inspection request information management unit 1406via the inspection execution information management unit 1407. Theinspection request information management unit 1406 receives theinspection end notification and then generates image storage requestinformation to be transmitted to the image storage and display apparatus306 using the patient information included in the inspection requestinformation, the inspection execution information, and the inspectionrequest information.

In step S1707, the inspection request information management unit 1406generates the inspection end information which is attached to theinspection end notification to be transmitted to the inspectionmanagement system 307 using the patient information included in theinspection request information, the inspection execution information,and the inspection request information. The operation processing insteps S1706 and S1707 stated above may be carried out at the same timeor may be opposite in order.

In step S1708, the inspection execution information management unit 1407shifts the state of the sent inspection request information from thestate where the inspection is being executed to the state where atransmission is suspended. The imaging execution unit 1408 transmits theacquired image data to the image data management unit 1409. The imagedata management unit 1409 receives the image data and then storages theimage data in the internal storage device 19 and transmits the imagedata to the transmission unit 1416. The transmission unit 1416 receivesthe image data and then directly transmits the image data to the imagestorage and display apparatus 306 via the network. For this reason, theoperator can instantly examine the image data via the image storage anddisplay apparatus 306.

In step S1709, the inspection execution information management unit 1407adds a part of the generated inspection end information to the pastinspection information list displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11and displays the list. The GUI displaying an inspection being in thestate where a transmission is suspended on the past inspectioninformation list is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7.

In step S1710, the inspection request information management unit 1406transmits the inspection request information and the inspectionexecution information to the transmission suspension time managementunit 1412. The transmission suspension time management unit 1412receives the inspection request information and the inspection executioninformation. The inspection execution information management unit 1407instructs the “unit for counting the number of additional imagingoperations for user” 1413 and the “unit for counting the number ofadditional imaging operations for patient” 1414 to transmit the numberof additional imaging operations. The “unit for counting the number ofadditional imaging operations for user” 1413 and the “unit for countingthe number of additional imaging operations for patient” 1414 receivethe instruction to transmit the number of additional imaging operationsand then transmit the information about the number of additional imagingoperations stored therein to the transmission suspension time managementunit 1412. The transmission suspension time management unit 1412receives the inspection request information, the inspection executioninformation, information about the number of additional imagingoperations for user, and information about the number of additionalimaging operations for patient. The transmission suspension timemanagement unit 1412 determines a transmission suspension time of theinspection end information and the image storage request using theforegoing method of determining a transmission suspension time.

In step S1711, the transmission suspension time management unit 1412transmits an instruction to start counting to the transmissionsuspension time counting unit 1415. The transmission suspension timecounting unit 1415 receives the instruction to start counting and startscounting at the same time. When the transmission suspension timecounting unit 1415 ends counting and then transmits the counting endnotification to the transmission suspension time management unit 1412.

In step S1712, the imaging execution unit 1408 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to execute the additional imagingoperation while the transmission suspension time counting unit 1415 iscounting a transmission suspension time. In other words, the imagingexecution unit 1408 determines whether the operator issues aninstruction to execute the additional imaging operation before thetransmission suspension time management unit 1412 receives the countingend notification of the transmission suspension time. If the operatordoes not issue the instruction to execute the additional imagingoperation (NO in step S1712), the imaging execution unit 1408 advancesthe processing to step S1713.

In step S1713, the transmission suspension time counting unit 1415transmits the counting end notification to the inspection executioninformation management unit 1407 and the transmission unit 1416.

In step S1714, the inspection execution information management unit 1407receives the counting end notification and then shifts the inspectionstate from the state where a transmission is suspended to the statewhere the inspection is ended. The transmission unit 1416 receives thecounting end notification and then transmits the inspection endinformation and the image storage request to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300. More specifically, the transmission unit 1416transmits the inspection end notification to which the inspection endinformation is added to the inspection management system 307 andtransmits the image storage request to the image storage and displayapparatus 306 via the network.

The inspection execution information management unit 1407 updates thepast inspection list displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. Morespecifically, the inspection execution information management unit 1407changes indication in the column of “inspection end informationnotification” of the inspection the state of which is shifted to the endstate on the past inspection list to “Ended.”

The image storage and display apparatus 306 receives the image storagerequest and then stores the image data received in step S1708. Theinspection management system 307 receives the inspection endnotification to which the inspection end information is added andmanages the inspection end information in a database.

If the imaging execution unit 1408 determines that the operator issuesthe instruction to execute the additional imaging operation (YES in stepS1712), the imaging execution unit 1408 issues an instruction to resumethe inspection and returns the processing to step S1703. At this point,the inspection execution information management unit 1407 shifts thespecified state of the inspection request information from the statewhere the transmission is suspended to the state where the inspection isbeing resumed. The flow of the inspection after resumption is similar tothat in steps S1703 to S1711 described above.

In other words, if the processing proceeds to step S1707 after theinspection is resumed according to the instruction to execute theadditional imaging operation, the inspection request informationmanagement unit 1406 generates updated inspection end information usingthe inspection execution information including the inspection addedaccording to the instruction to execute the additional imagingoperation. Incidentally, the inspection request information managementunit 1406 may generate new inspection end information using theinspection execution information including the inspection addedaccording to the instruction to execute the additional imagingoperation.

In step S1708, the imaging execution unit 1408 transmits the image dataacquired according to the instruction to execute the additional imagingoperation to the image data management unit 1409. The image datamanagement unit 1409 receives the image data and then storages the imagedata in the internal storage device 19 and transmits the image data tothe transmission unit 1416. The transmission unit 1416 receives theimage data and then directly transmits the image data to the imagestorage and display apparatus 306 via the network. For this reason, theoperator can instantly examine the image data acquired according to theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation via the imagestorage and display apparatus 306.

In step S1710, the transmission suspension time management unit 1412determines a transmission suspension time based on the inspectionexecution information including the inspection added according to theinstruction to execute the additional imaging operation.

Thereafter, in step S1714, the transmission unit 1416 receives thecounting end notification of the newly determined transmissionsuspension time and then transmits the updated inspection endinformation and the image storage request to the intra-hospitalinformation system 300. If the inspection end information is newlygenerated based on the inspection added according to the instruction toexecute the additional imaging operation, the transmission unit 1416transmits the inspection end information generated before and after animaging operation is added to the intra-hospital information system 300.

The resumption of the inspection according to the instruction to executean additional imaging operation may be repeated over and over againuntil the counting of the transmission suspension time is ended. Thus,according to the present exemplary embodiment, the operator caninstantly examine the image data acquired according to the instructionto execute the additional imaging operation via the image storage anddisplay apparatus 306.

The operation processing for determining a transmission suspension timein the medical imaging apparatus according to the present exemplaryembodiment is substantially similar to that in the flow chart of thefirst exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, so that thedescription thereof is omitted. In other words, the imaging executionunit 404, the inspection management unit 407, and the transmissionsuspension time determination unit 405 according to the first exemplaryembodiment correspond to the imaging execution unit 1408, the inspectionexecution information management unit 1407, and the transmissionsuspension time management unit 1412 according to the present exemplaryembodiment, respectively. Furthermore, the index storage unit 403 andthe index score setting unit 402 according to the first exemplaryembodiment correspond to the index storage unit 1411 and the index scoresetting unit 1410 according to the present exemplary embodiment,respectively.

The GUI for the past inspection information list displayed on thedisplay unit of the medical imaging apparatus according to the presentexemplary embodiment is similar to that for the past inspectioninformation list illustrated in FIG. 7 according to the first exemplaryembodiment, so that the description thereof is omitted.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus in instructingthe inspection being in a transmission suspension state to execute theadditional imaging operation according to the present exemplaryembodiment is substantially similar to that in the flow chart of thefirst exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, so that thedescription thereof is omitted. In other words, the imaging executionunit 404, the inspection management unit 407, the transmissionsuspension time determination unit 405, and the index storage unit 403according to the first exemplary embodiment correspond to the indexstorage unit 1411, the imaging execution unit 1408, the inspectionexecution information management unit 1407, and the transmissionsuspension time management unit 1412 according to the present exemplaryembodiment, respectively. Furthermore, the index score setting unit 402,the “unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations foruser 409,” and the “unit for counting the number of additional imagingoperations for patient” 410 according to the first exemplary embodimentcorrespond to the index score setting unit 1410, the “unit for countingthe number of additional imaging operations for user 1413,” and the“unit for counting the number of additional imaging operations forpatient” 1414, respectively. The operation processing of the medicalimaging apparatus in instructing the inspection being in a transmissionsuspension state to execute the additional imaging operation accordingto the present exemplary embodiment is different from that in step S1102only of the first exemplary embodiment.

More specifically, in step S1102, the inspection execution informationmanagement unit 1407 shifts the state of the inspection requestinformation instructed to execute the additional imaging operation bythe operator from the state where the transmission is suspended to thestate where the inspection is being resumed. Thus, the medical imagingapparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment can resume theinspection according to the instruction for the inspection being atransmission suspension state to execute the additional imagingoperation.

The GUI for confirming or setting the index score used for determiningthe transmission suspension time and stored in the index storage unit1411 is substantially similar to that according to the first exemplaryembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, so that the descriptionthereof is omitted. In other words, the index storage unit 403 and theindex score setting unit 402 according to the first exemplary embodimentcorrespond to the index storage unit 1411 and the index score settingunit 1410 according to the present exemplary embodiment, respectively.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow. The fourth exemplary embodiment cannot cope with the case of aquick accounting because the inspection end notification is nottransmitted unless the transmission suspension time elapses. The presentexemplary embodiment described below is capable of conducting accountingwith an inspection management system as required even in thetransmission suspension state where the inspection end notification isnot transmitted to the intra-hospital information system.

An internal configuration of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe fifth exemplary embodiment is described below with reference to FIG.18.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus. The medical imagingapparatus 303 according to the present exemplary embodiment is similarto that according to the fourth exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG.16. The components 1505 to 1516 of the medical imaging apparatus 303illustrated in FIG. 18 correspond to the components 1405 to 1416 of themedical imaging apparatus 303 illustrated in FIG. 16 respectively.

In the fourth exemplary embodiment, the transmission suspension time foreach inspection is determined and the inspection end notification andthe image storage request are merely transmitted after counting isended. In the present exemplary embodiment, however, the inspection endnotification and the image storage request can be transmitted whenaccounting is desired to be performed with the inspection managementsystem 307 irrespective of the state of the counting unless theinspection end notification and the image storage request aretransmitted. Accordingly, in the present exemplary embodiment, thereception unit 1505 receives not only the inspection request informationbut also the accounting request transmitted from the inspectionmanagement system 307.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 19.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart illustrating an example of the operationprocessing performed from the time of reception of the inspectionrequest information to the time of transmission of the inspection endnotification. The processing is implemented by the CPU 18 of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 executing the program stored in the ROM 16.

Steps S1801 to S1812 in the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 19 aresimilar to steps S1701 to S1712 in the fourth exemplary embodiment. Forthis reason, the processing only in step S1813 and following steps isdescribed.

In step S1813, the reception unit 1505 determines whether the inspectionmanagement system 307 transmits the accounting request to the receptionunit 1505 while the transmission suspension time counting unit 1515 iscounting the transmission suspension time. If the inspection managementsystem 307 transmits the accounting request to the reception unit 1505(YES S1813), the processing proceeds to step S1815.

In step S1815, the reception unit 1505 receives the accounting requestfrom the inspection management system 307. The reception unit 1505receives the accounting request and then transmits the accountingrequest to the transmission suspension time management unit 1512 via theinspection execution information management unit 1507. The transmissionsuspension time management unit 1512 receives the accounting request andthen confirms that the inspection of which accounting is requested is inthe transmission suspension state. After the confirmation, thetransmission suspension time management unit 1512 notifies thetransmission suspension time counting unit 1515 of the instruction toend counting. The inspection execution information management unit 1507shifts the state of the inspection of which accounting is requested froma transmission suspension state to an end state. The transmissionsuspension time counting unit 1515 is instructed to end counting andthen ends the counting of the transmission suspension time of theinspection subjected to the instruction. The inspection requestinformation management unit 1506 instructs the transmission unit 1516 totransmit the inspection end notification, the inspection endinformation, and the image storage request.

In step S1816, the inspection execution information management unit 1507is instructed to end counting and then shifts the state of theinspection from the transmission suspension state to the end state. Thetransmission unit 1516 is instructed to transmit the inspection endnotification, the inspection end information, and the image storagerequest and then transmits the inspection end notification to which theinspection end information is added to the inspection management system307 and transmits the image storage request to the image storage anddisplay apparatus 306.

The inspection execution information management unit 1507 updates thepast inspection list displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. Morespecifically, the inspection execution information management unit 1507changes indication in the column of “inspection end informationnotification” of the inspection the state of which is shifted to the endstate in the past inspection list to “Ended.”

In step S1813, if the reception unit 1505 does not receive theaccounting request (NO in step S1813), the processing proceeds to stepS1814. The processing in step 1814 is similar to that in step S1713 ofthe flow chart illustrated in FIG. 17 according to the first exemplaryembodiment, so that the description thereof is omitted.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the resumption of the inspectionaccording to the instruction to execute an additional imaging operationmay be repeated over and over again until the counting of thetransmission suspension time is ended or the accounting request istransmitted from the inspection management system 307.

Thus, according to the present exemplary embodiment, if the inspectionmanagement system 307 notifies the reception unit 1505 of the accountingrequest, the transmission suspension time counting unit 1515 ends thecounting of transmission suspension time and the transmission unit 1516transmits the inspection end notification to which the inspection endinformation is added to the inspection management system 307. For thisreason, the inspection management system 307 can quickly performaccounting.

In the above description, in step S1813, the reception unit 1505determines whether the inspection management system 307 transmits theaccounting request to the reception unit 1505. In another alternative,in step S1813, for example, the reception unit 1505 may determinewhether the image storage and display apparatus 306 transmits an imageexamination end notification to the reception unit 1505. In other words,the operator examines the image data via the image storage and displayapparatus 306 and if the operator determines that there is no need foradding an imaging operation, the operator issues an instruction to endthe examination of an image via the input unit of the image storage anddisplay apparatus 306. The image storage and display apparatus 306transmits the image examination end notification to the medical imagingapparatus 303 and the reception unit 1505 receives the image examinationend notification. The processing in subsequent steps 1815 and 1816 issimilar to the processing described above. Thus, in the case where theoperator does not issue an instruction to add an imaging operation, theinspection management system 307 can quickly perform accounting.

The configuration and operation of a medical imaging apparatus accordingto a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is describedbelow. In the fourth and fifth exemplary embodiments, if the operatorturns off the power supply of the medical imaging apparatus in thetransmission suspension state where the inspection end notification isnot transmitted to the inspection management system, the inspection endnotification remains untransmitted, so that the inspection managementsystem cannot perform post-processing. In the present exemplaryembodiment, even if the operator turns off the power supply of themedical imaging apparatus in the transmission suspension state where theinspection end notification is not transmitted to the intra-hospitalinformation system, the inspection end notification can be transmittedto the intra-hospital information system.

An internal configuration of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe sixth exemplary embodiment is described below with reference to FIG.20.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the medical imaging apparatus. The medical imagingapparatus 303 according to the present exemplary embodiment issubstantially similar in configuration to that in the fourth exemplaryembodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, but different from the fourthexemplary embodiment in that the medical imaging apparatus 303 includesa power supply unit 1617. The components 1605 to 1616 of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 illustrated in FIG. 20 correspond to thecomponents 1405 to 1416 of the medical imaging apparatus 303 illustratedin FIG. 16.

The power supply unit 1617 is attached to the medical imaging apparatus303 and turns on and off the medical imaging apparatus 303. When thepower supply unit 1617 switches the medical imaging apparatus 303 fromthe on state to the off state, the power supply unit 1617 transmits apower supply OFF notification to the inspection execution informationmanagement unit 1607 via the imaging execution unit 1608. The inspectionexecution information management unit 1607 receives the power supply OFFnotification and then causes the transmission unit 1616 to transmit theinspection end notification, the inspection end information, and theimage storage request of the inspection in the transmission suspensionstate to the intra-hospital information system 300.

The operation processing of the medical imaging apparatus according tothe present exemplary embodiment is described below with reference toFIG. 21. FIG. 21 is a flow chart illustrating an example of theoperation processing performed from the time of reception of theinspection request information to the time of transmission of theinspection end notification. The processing is implemented by the CPU 18of the medical imaging apparatus 303 executing the program stored in theROM 16.

Steps S1901 to S1912 in the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 21 aresimilar to steps S1701 to S1712 in the fourth exemplary embodiment. Forthis reason, the processing only in step S1913 and following steps isdescribed.

In step S1913, the power supply unit 1617 determines whether theoperator issues an instruction to turn off the power supply of themedical imaging apparatus 303 while the transmission suspension timecounting unit 1615 is counting a transmission suspension time. If theoperator issues the instruction to turn off the power supply (YES instep S1913), the processing proceeds to step S1915.

In step S1915, the power supply unit 1617 transmits the power supply OFFnotification to the inspection execution information management unit1607 via the imaging execution unit 1608 before turning off the powersupply. The inspection execution information management unit 1607receives the power supply OFF notification and then issues aninstruction to end counting to the transmission suspension time countingunit 1615 via the transmission suspension time management unit 1612. Atthis point, the inspection execution information management unit 1607shifts the state of all inspections being in the transmission suspensionstate from the transmission suspension state to the end state. Thetransmission suspension time counting unit 1615 receives the instructionto end counting and then ends the counting of the transmissionsuspension time of the inspection subjected to the instruction.

In step S1917, the inspection execution information management unit 1607instructs the transmission unit 1616 to transmit the inspection endnotification, the inspection end information, and the image storagerequest of all inspections rendered to the end state for each inspectionto the transmission unit 1616. The transmission unit 1616 receives theinstruction for transmission and then transmits the inspection endnotification to which the inspection end information is added to theinspection management system 307 and transmits the image storage requestinformation to the image storage and display apparatus 306.

The transmission unit 1616 confirms that the inspection end notificationof all inspections is transmitted and then transmits the transmissionend notification to the power supply unit 1617 via the inspectionexecution information management unit 1607 and the imaging executionunit 1608. The power supply unit 1617 receives the transmission endnotification and then turns off the power supply of the medical imagingapparatus 303.

The inspection execution information management unit 1607 updates thepast inspection list displayed by the GUI on the display unit 11. Morespecifically, the inspection execution information management unit 1607changes indication in the column of “inspection end informationnotification” of the inspection the state of which is shifted to the endstate in the past inspection list to “Ended.”

On the other hand, if the power supply unit 1617 does not determine thatthe operator issues an instruction to turn off the power supply (NO instep S1913), the processing proceeds to steps S1914 and S1916. Theprocessing in steps S1914 and S1916 is similar to that in steps S1713and S1714 of the flow chart of the fourth exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIG. 17, so that the description thereof is omitted.

The flow chart illustrated in FIG. 21 describes the case where thetiming at which the operator issues the instruction to turn off thepower supply of the medical imaging apparatus 303 is determined afterthe processing in step S1912, but the timing is not limited to thiscase. In other words, irrespective of the timing at which the operatorissues the instruction, the power supply unit 1617 determines that theoperator issues the instruction to turn off the power supply of themedical imaging apparatus 303, and thereafter, the processing proceedsto steps S1915 and S1917 and the aforementioned processing is performed.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the resumption of the inspectionaccording to the instruction to execute an additional imaging operationmay be repeated over and over again until the counting of thetransmission suspension time is ended or the power supply of the medicalimaging apparatus 303 is turned off.

Thus, according to the present exemplary embodiment, even if the powersupply of the medical imaging apparatus 303 is turned off, theinspection end notification of the inspection being in the transmissionsuspension state is transmitted to the intra-hospital information system300 to allow preventing the inspection end notification from not beingtransmitted.

According to the present exemplary embodiment, the transmissionsuspension time during which the inspection end notification to whichthe inspection request information is added and the image storagerequest are transmitted to the intra-hospital information system afterthe inspection performed by the medical imaging apparatus is ended canbe set for each inspection based on inspection information. Accordingly,even in the case where an imaging operation is added to the inspectiononce ended, for example, there is no need for performing re-inspectionby acquiring again the inspection request information, allowing readilyadding an imaging operation, which improves the operability of theoperator and reduces the patient's burden.

Furthermore, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the imagedata acquired by the medical imaging apparatus is transmittedindependently of the transmission suspension time at the timing at whichthe inspection is ended, which enables the operator to accuratelyexamine the image after the inspection is ended using a high definitionmonitor of the image storage and display apparatus. If an imagingoperation is required to be added as a result of examining the image,the imaging operation can be easily added if it is in the transmissionsuspension time. Consequently, it is advantageous, as the operator'smeasure for adding an imaging operation, to determine the inspection inwhich an imaging operation is probably required to be added after theinspection is ended using inspection information from the viewpoint ofcomplicatedness and to set the transmission suspension time.

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of asystem or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out andexecutes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functionsof the above-described embodiment (s), and by a method, the steps ofwhich are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory deviceto perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For thispurpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via anetwork or from a recording medium of various types serving as thememory device (e.g., computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An imaging information processing apparatuscomprising: a communication circuit for communicating with anintra-hospital information system and an imaging unit; and a processor,wherein the communication circuit is configured to receive inspectionrequest information from an intra-hospital information system; theprocessor is configured to cause a display unit to display: the receivedinspection request information, a first icon for receiving anoperational input for starting an inspection with the imaging unit,corresponding to the received inspection request information, to acquirea medical image and a second icon for receiving an operational input forending an inspection; the processor is configured to determine atransmission suspension time in a case where the medical image is to betransmitted to an external image server; the communication circuit isconfigured to transmit the medical image to an external image serveraccording to elapse of the transmission suspension time after theinspection is ended in accordance with the operational input to thesecond icon, and the processor is configured to cause, in accordancewith an operational input, the display unit to display the medicalimage, transmission of which is suspended, and display inspectioninformation corresponding to the medical image including imageprocessing parameters for the medical image, before the determinedtransmission suspension time elapses and after the inspection is ended.2. The imaging information processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the processor is configured to cause the display unit to displaya third icon for receiving an operational input for additionallyexecuting an imaging operation to acquire a new medical image to beassociated with the inspection corresponding to the medical image,before the determined transmission suspension time for the medical imageelapses after the inspection is ended.
 3. The imaging informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor isconfigured to execute a process for resuming the inspection inaccordance with a receipt of an operational input via the third icon. 4.The imaging information processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the processor is configured to count the time after theinspection according to the inspection request information is ended, andwherein the processor is configured to reset counting of the time withrespect to the inspection according to the inspection requestinformation, in a case where an operational input via the third icon isreceived.
 5. The imaging information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the processor is configured to count the time after theinspection according to the inspection request information is ended,wherein, in a case where an operational input with the third icon isreceived the processor starts counting in response to an operationalinput performed again for ending the inspection relating to the imagingoperation, after the imaging operation started by the operational inputvia the third icon is completed, and wherein the communication circuitis configured to transmit the medical image to the external image serveraccording to elapse of the transmission suspension time after theinspection executed again is ended.
 6. The imaging informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communicationcircuit is configured to transmit an inspection end notification for theinspection, to the intra-hospital information system in response to anelapse of the determined transmission suspension time after theinspection is ended in response to the operational input via the secondicon.
 7. The imaging information processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the transmissionsuspension time based on inspection information.
 8. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to determine the transmission suspension timebased on at least one of the inspection request information, inspectionexecution information indicating a content of the imaging operationaccording to the inspection request information, and information about apatient to be inspected.
 9. The imaging information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determinethe transmission suspension time based on information about a number ofadditional imaging operations.
 10. The imaging information processingapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured todetermine the transmission suspension time based on the informationabout a number of additional imaging operations for one operator of theimaging information processing apparatus or one patient.
 11. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to set information to be used in a case wherethe transmission suspension time is determined.
 12. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to determine the same transmission suspensiontime for all inspections.
 13. The imaging information processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication circuit isconfigured to transmit the inspection end notification for theinspection in response to receipt of a signal from the intra-hospitalinformation system, even before the transmission suspension timeelapses.
 14. The imaging information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether aninstruction to turn off the imaging information processing apparatus isissued, and in a case where the instruction to turn off the imaginginformation processing apparatus is issued, the communication circuittransmits the medical image relating to the inspection for which thedetermined transmission suspension time has not been elapsed, to theexternal image server.
 15. The imaging information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determinewhether an instruction to turn off the imaging information processingapparatus is issued, and in a case where the instruction to turn off theimaging information processing apparatus is issued, the communicationcircuit transmits an inspection end notification for the inspection forwhich the transmission suspension time has not been elapsed, to theintra-hospital information system.
 16. The imaging informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor isconfigured to make a timing of a transmission of the medical image bythe communication circuit different from a timing of a transmission ofthe inspection end notification transmission.
 17. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to cause the display unit to display,information of inspection for which inspection end notification has beentransmitted, together with information of the inspection for which thetransmission suspension time has not been elapsed, the inspection havingalready been ended.
 18. The imaging information processing apparatusaccording to claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to cause thedisplay unit to distinguishably display, information of inspection forwhich inspection end notification has been transmitted, information ofthe ended inspection for which the transmission suspension time has notbeen elapsed.
 19. The imaging information processing apparatus accordingto any one of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured tocause the display unit to display the third icon along with theinspection information, before the determined transmission suspensiontime elapses but after the inspection has been ended.
 20. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to cause the display unit to display the thirdicon and a fourth icon for displaying the medical image corresponding tothe received inspection information and image processing parameters forthe medical image, together with information of the ended inspection forwhich the transmission suspension time has not been elapsed.
 21. AnX-ray imaging apparatus comprising: the imaging information processingapparatus according to claim 1; and an imaging unit connected to theimaging information processing apparatus and configured to acquire anX-ray image according to the received inspection request information.22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a programincluding instructions to be executed by a computer to function as theimaging information processing apparatus of claim
 1. 23. An imaginginformation processing system comprising at least one processor andmemory coupled to each other and cooperating to act as: a reception unitconfigured to receive inspection request information from anintra-hospital information system; an image acquisition unit configuredto acquire a medical image acquired by an imaging operation according tothe inspection request information; a display control unit configured tocause a display unit to display the received inspection requestinformation and an icon for receiving an operational input for ending aninspection; a determination unit configured to determine a transmissionsuspension time in a case where the medical image is to be transmittedto an external image server; and a transmission unit configured totransmit the medical image to an external server according to elapse ofthe transmission suspension time after the inspection is ended inaccordance with the operational input to the icon, wherein the displaycontrol unit is configured to cause, in accordance with an operationalinput, the display unit to display the medical image, transmission ofwhich is suspended by the transmission unit, and inspection informationcorresponding to the medical image including image processing parametersfor the medical image, before the transmission suspension time elapsesand after the inspection is ended.
 24. An X-ray imaging apparatuscomprising: an imaging unit configured to acquire an X-ray imageacquired by an X-ray imaging operation according to inspection requestinformation; a communication circuit for communicating with anintra-hospital information system and an imaging unit; and a processor,wherein the communication circuit is configured to receive inspectionrequest information from an intra-hospital information system; theprocessor is configured to cause a display unit to display: the receivedinspection request information, a first icon for receiving anoperational input for starting an inspection with the imaging unit,corresponding to the received inspection request information, to acquirea medical image; and a second icon for receiving an operational inputfor ending an inspection; the processor is configured to determine atransmission suspension time in a case where the medical image is to betransmitted to an external image server; the communication circuit isconfigured to transmit the medical image to an external image serveraccording to elapse of the transmission suspension time after theinspection is ended in accordance with the operational input to thesecond icon, and the processor is configured to cause the display unitto display, in accordance with an operational input, the medical image,transmission of which is suspended, and inspection informationcorresponding to the medical image including image processing parametersfor the medical image, before the determined transmission suspensiontime elapses and after the inspection is ended.
 25. The X-ray imagingapparatus according to claim 24, further comprising an X-ray generationunit.
 26. A method for processing information comprising: receivinginspection request information from an intra-hospital informationsystem; acquiring a medical image by an imaging operation according tothe inspection request information; causing a display unit to displaythe received inspection request information and an icon for receiving anoperational input for ending an inspection corresponding to the receivedinspection information; determining a transmission suspension time in acase where the medical image is to be transmitted to an external imageserver; transmitting the medical image to an external image server,according to elapse of the transmission suspension time after theinspection is ended in accordance with the operational input to theicon; and causing a display unit to display the medical image,transmission of which is suspended, and inspection informationcorresponding to the medical image including image processing parametersfor the medical image, in accordance with an operational input, beforethe transmission suspension time elapses and after the inspection isended.
 27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a programincluding instructions to be executed by a computer to perform themethod of claim
 26. 28. An imaging information processing apparatus forprocessing information related to an imaging operation of a medicalimage, comprising: a communication circuit for communicating with anexternal apparatus and an imaging unit; and a processor, wherein thecommunication circuit is configured to receive inspection requestinformation; the processor is configured to determine a transmissionsuspension time; the processor is configured to cause a display unit todisplay an indication indicating inspection information, a medical imageacquired according to the inspection information, and an icon forreceiving an operational input for ending an inspection corresponding tothe inspection information; and the processor is configured to suspendtransmission of specific information indicating that the inspection hasbeen executed, to an external apparatus, until the determinedtransmission suspension time elapses after the operational input isreceived; and the communication circuit is configured to transmit thespecific information concerning the inspection, to the externalapparatus in response to an elapse of the transmission suspension time.29. The imaging information processing apparatus according to claim 28,wherein the communication circuit is configured to output, as thespecific information concerning the inspection, information indicatingan inspection end notification for the inspection, to an externalapparatus.
 30. The imaging information processing apparatus according toclaim 29, wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmitthe inspection end notification of the inspection to an externalinformation system.
 31. The imaging information processing apparatusaccording claim 28, wherein the communication circuit is configured totransmit, as the specific information, the medical image acquiredaccording to the inspection, to the external apparatus.
 32. The imaginginformation processing apparatus according claim 31, wherein thecommunication circuit is configured to transmit the medical image to astoring unit.
 33. The imaging information processing apparatus accordingclaim 31, wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmitthe medical image to an external image storage apparatus.
 34. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program includinginstructions to be executed by a computer to function as the imaginginformation processing apparatus of claim
 28. 35. An imaging informationprocessing system for processing information related to an imagingoperation of a medical image, the system comprising at least oneprocessor and memory coupled to each other and cooperating to act as: aninspection acquisition unit configured to acquire inspectioninformation; a determination unit configured to determine a transmissionsuspension time; a display control unit configured to display anindication indicating inspection information, a medical image acquiredaccording to the inspection information, and an icon that accepts anoperational input for ending the inspection corresponding to theinspection information; and a transmission unit configured to suspendtransmission of specific information indicating that the inspection hasbeen executed to an external apparatus until the transmission suspensiontime elapses after the operational input for ending the inspection isreceived, and configured to transmit the specific information concerningthe inspection to the external apparatus according to elapse of thetransmission suspension time.
 36. An imaging information processingmethod for processing information related to an imaging operation of amedical image, the method comprising: acquiring inspection information;determining a transmission suspension time; causing a display unit todisplay: an indication indicating inspection information, a medicalimage acquired according to the acquired inspection information, and anicon for receiving an operational input for ending the inspectioncorresponding to the acquired inspection information; suspendingtransmission of specific information indicating that the inspection hasbeen executed, to an external apparatus, until the transmissionsuspension time elapses after the operational input is received; andtransmitting, according to elapse of the transmission suspension time,the specific information concerning the inspection, to the externalapparatus.
 37. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing aprogram including instructions to be executed by a computer to performthe method of claim 36.